Southern Weekly: "The System"

Southern Weekly: "The System"

Source: Southern Weekly

Authors: Cao Yunwu, Zhang Chunwei, Wang Yishu

■Editor's Note:

In a network game with over a million people online simultaneously, where the total number of players could form a supercity, does its gaming spirit point towards fun, or towards power and money? Are its social rules about the openness and freedom of a new world, or do they echo the old adage that 'all land under heaven belongs to the king'? This is not just a question for one particular game, nor merely an inquiry into the values of Korean-style online games. It is a deeper exploration of the relationship between humans and games, as well as the relationships between people themselves. The virtual world is part of the real world and has principles that must be defended.

In one of the hottest online games in China today, players encounter a "System" that exercises a seductive form of governance. This "System" is elusive yet omnipresent. It is a virtual but genuine monopolist. "Without my permission, not a single leaf in this country can move." This echoes the voice of Chile's former dictator, Pinochet, subtly resounding within this virtual realm.